Game Mechanics

Decades of research have shown that parental involvement in the classroom is an important indicator of students’ academic success. In “Parental Effort, School Resources, and Student Achievement,” which appeared in the spring 2008 issue of the Journal of Human Resources, parental involvement is shown to have a strong and positive effect on student achievement. Schools would have to spend more than $1,000 per student to create the same effect. Teachers, schools, and Parent-teacher organizations should begin implementing techniques for encouraging parent participation both at home and in the classroom. Offering some incentives and metrics for success can help achieve this desired motivation. It can incite parents into voluntary action by creating an environment where parents, like students, are recognized and rewarded for their participation. There is a substantial amount of evidence that game mechanics (rules or constructs designed to produce game or game play) are extremely effective at increasing motivation. Badges have been created to incite action and engagement based off psychology’s incentive motivation theory which suggests that people are motivated to act by external rewards. Nothing is intrinsically motivating about a badge in and of itself but the meaning of the badge gives it significance and currency. The badges provide social and psychological rewards for users, in this case parents, which can be highly motivating and rewarding within their social environment. The desire for social approval will entice users to act due to the promise of public recognition and social currency within the parental environment. Schools, teachers, and Parent organizations can use Youtopia to engage, motivate and track parental involvement. Create challenges and activities that parents can complete for points and badges. These activities can include helping in the classroom, planning parties, creating teaching tools, parking duty, […]

Education: How Games Help Your Academic Achievement

Approach the education system in a progressive, yet open innovative manner, introducing the power of “Gamification” within the education system as it exists today might just be the next best step to take. The education system is at the core already a game: you earn points (Grades) you get challenges (Exams) there are levels (For example: first to second grade is leveling up). Feedback In the current education system you’ll get lectures about a certain subject for weeks and weeks, closing the subject with a formal exam that will measure how much you know. Or how much you still remember from the last minute studying the day and/or night before. Splitting the subjects into smaller pieces, making them true “challenges” that you can accomplish very quickly one after the other would allow the players to go through the materials at their own pace. Adapting gradually to the complexity and difficulty of the subject, applying their newly discovered skills and/or tools for the next challenge. Engage A goal to engage users is by getting players to acknowledge their achievements! This is a very visual and audible sign indicating that the player was intrinsically motivated and is proud about his/her achievement. It is this kind of motivation that will trigger the urge of the player to continue towards the next challenge that is slightly more difficult to go through. Don’t Forget Social Media Of course it is not only the challenge concept and allowing people to fail that will motivate them to play, that would be too easy in this complex world we live in. The most important part here is to come up with the right “story” that incorporates the challenges and all other game-elements. Without a good story, the players […]

Gamification in Education: Creating New Techniques for Students

Gamification in education can be an effective motivational tool for engagement. Some educators spot increases in student engagement while others see skill acquisition benefits. It can also be a tool for enabling teachers to guide and reward their students and in terms of game mechanics, urgent optimism is a powerful force to get the classroom to take action quickly, keeping them on task and highly motivated. Some schools have developed a common core-based language arts curriculum that is entirely based on “World of Warcraft.” Algebraic equations are being solved by the implementation of “Angry Birds” to illustrate parabolic movement and provide students with impetus. Other programs, primarily those that focus on physical education, have even introduced “Dance Dance Revolution” to get the kids moving.

The 5 Things You Need To Know To Get Badging

Here at Youtopia, we’re pretty pumped up about badges. Since being selected as a winner in the Digital Media and Learning Competition, we’ve been working for almost a year with Mozilla Foundation and the badging community to define how badges can be used for the greater good. Here are the 5 things you need to know to get badging.